Their daughters say they believe their father willed himself to stay with his wife despite failing health until they could take the next step in their journey together. He went first; she followed.

They had a joint funeral Mass, with granddaughters carrying Ruth’s casket and grandsons carrying Harold’s casket. The cemetery procession stopped at the farm house where the couple had raised six children. The current owners surprised the family by flying a flag at half-staff.

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